When a friend recently decided to treat himself to the flying lessons he had wanted since childhood, he asked me for advice on choosing between a large, fast-paced flight school or a small, easygoing flying club that includes an instructor or two.
I described my favorable experience with Rich, a CFII [Certified Flight Instructor Instrument] who had been teaching for decades, had a good sense of humor, and seemed to know all the ins and outs of flying. He runs a club which, at the time, had two airplanes—a Cessna 172M and a Citabria 7KCAB. I wound up with a tailwheel endorsement in addition to my private certificate—a nice bonus.
